Nigerians have been left to ponder who won the recently concluded presidential primary election of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Ebonyi State after two factions of the party announced different winners.
While former Vice President Atiku Abubakar was declared the winner of one primary, former Transport Minister Rotimi Amaechi was returned in the other.
According to the faction that produced Atiku, the former Vice President polled a total of 15,300 votes in the result declared at the Preston Hotel, which served as the state collation centre for the primary election.
Official results released showed that he defeated Amaechi and Muhammad Hayatudeen, who secured 2,200 and 200 votes respectively.
The electoral committee disclosed that Ebonyi State had a total of 18,891 registered voters for the exercise, which was conducted across the 171 wards in the 13 local government areas of the state. Out of that figure, 17,700 voters were accredited for the primary.
Chairman of the committee and ADC National Vice Chairman (Diaspora), Fred Onwe, while declaring the result, said Atiku scored the highest number of votes and was therefore returned as the winner of the presidential primary in the state.
He also congratulated the winner and other aspirants for their conduct and perseverance throughout the exercise.
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However, in the result announced by the rival faction, Amaechi was declared the winner.
Announcing those results in Abakaliki, the Coordinator of Electoral Matters and Returning Officer for the exercise, Bassey Edogi Imoke, disclosed that the former Rivers State Governor garnered 6,050 votes to defeat Atiku, who polled 1,210 votes, while Hayatudeen secured 4,840 votes.
Imoke explained that the election was conducted through a direct primary system across the 171 political wards in the state.
According to him, a total of 12,641 delegates were registered for the exercise, while 12,100 delegates were accredited and participated in the election.
He said, “The mode of the election is by direct primary. The type of election is a presidential election conducted on May 25, 2026, across the 171 political wards in Ebonyi State.”
Imoke added, “At the end of the election, His Excellency Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, having scored the highest number of votes cast, is hereby returned elected as the preferred flag-bearer of the African Democratic Congress in Ebonyi State for the 2027 general election.”
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